In case you’ve only heard bits and pieces about this new stamping revolution, here’s everything you need to get started with digital stamps — including what digital stamps are, where to find them, and how to make your own.

Digital stamps are basically digital image files (.jpg, .png, .pdf) that can be re-sized, flipped, or manipulated in lots of creative ways.

The only major difference between a rubber stamp and a digital stamp is that there is no actual wood or acrylic base with a digital stamp.

How To Use A Digital Stamp

After you have printed out a digital stamp, you can use it as you would normally use a traditional rubber stamp.

The digital stamp is also colored much the same way that a rubber stamped image is. You can color it before you print it out (or vice versa). If you choose to color it after it’s been printed, then you could also choose to emboss your digital stamp!

After your digital stamp is colored and printed, cut it out and use it any way you would like to — from homemade cards for family and friends to a wide range of other paper crafts.

Or you could make fun new pages for your scrapbooks. With digital stamps, you can take both — your

Low cost — Digital stamps cost a lot less than regular rubber stamps since you are just buying the right to use the image, instead of the actual stamp. Digital stamps can be bought online and downloaded to your computer — which can save on shipping, gas, and even time since you don’t have to wait for it to be delivered.

Multi-use — Digi-stamps can also be used as tranferred images — they can be applied to fabrics, glass, hard surfaces, canvas, etc.

More creative — Unlike rubber stamps, digital stamps can be any size, flipped, mirrored, or however you want to make it. A digital stamp can also be used for lots of unique craft projects.

Easy to store — The digital image is stored on your computer and can even be put on a CD — which not only saves space, but time too, since the images can be easily stored and organized into different files and folders.

Free to try — Since digital stamps are the new “big” thing, many companies offer free digital images so you can try them out.

Lifelong use — Unless you delete it, the digital stamp doesn’t degrade and can’t become damaged.

Mess free — With digital stamps there is a quick and simple way to clean up, just click the X. (No more ink messes or scrubbing stamps.)

Easy to share — If you want to share your digital stamps with friends, family, or even your kids, just print them off!

Downsides Of Using Digital Stamps:

Hi-tech — A computer, printer, and a basic publishing program (like Microsoft Works or Word) are needed to work with digital stamps.

Image editing — If you want to make your own digital stamps, then you’ll need a photo editing or graphics program like Paint Shop, Adobe Illustrator, or Photoshop.

Quality of image — Printer inks can sometimes smear — which can mess up the digital stamp. Nor can digital stamps be used with water-based mediums (such as markers, water color, etc.) because the image will bleed

Paper waste — Printing out the digital images can use a lot of paper and ink.